Initiative will open school grounds and increase access to public space in the West Village<\/p>\n
Greenwich Village \u2013 Speaker Christine C. Quinn, together with Community Board 2 Chair Brad Hoylman, Public School 41 Principal Kelly Shannon, Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe and other community leaders, celebrated the announcement of new park space in Greenwich Village. As part of the Mayor\u2019s PlaNYC Schoolyards to Playgrounds initiative, the P.S. 41 schoolyard will be reconstructed with new play equipment, safety surface and made ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible. The new full-time playground will be open to the public outside school hours, increasing access to much needed public space in Greenwich Village. <\/p>\n
\u201cPublic space is an invaluable resource in New York City, so it\u2019s no small thing when a new park is opened to the public,\u201d said Speaker Christine C. Quinn, an early supporter of the PlaNYC Initiative. \u201cBy utilizing our creativity, we can convert spaces like the one at P.S. 41 into thriving parks that will benefit an entire community. I can\u2019t wait until we break ground on this exciting project, and I look forward to even more opportunities to bring some much need public space to the West Village.\u201d<\/p>\n
The playground will be open to the public when the school is not in session, on weekends and during the summer from 8 a.m. until dusk. Renovations on the schoolyard are estimated to begin during the 2009-2010 academic year and work is expected to be completed within a six month period. The Parks Department will be coordinating the construction schedule with the Principal to ensure that disruption to the students will be minimal. P.S. 41 is one of 290 schools chosen to participate in the Schoolyards to Playgrounds initiative. Schools were selected according to the community\u2019s need for parks and the ratio of children per playground.<\/p>\n
\u201cPublic open space is a prized and scarce commodity in the West Village,\u201d said Brad Hoylman, Chairperson of Community Board 2. \u201cCB 2 strongly supports the creation of a new park at P.S. 41, and we\u2019re extremely grateful to Mayor Bloomberg, Speaker Quinn and P.S. 41 for making this new open space available to the wider community through this innovative program.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks to Mayor Bloomberg\u2019s innovative PlaNYC Schoolyards to Playgrounds initiative that commits nearly $100 million in capital funding for playground improvements, we are converting limited use schoolyards to publicly accessible playgrounds,\u201d said Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe. \u201cWorking with the Department of Education, the Trust for Public Land, and the school communities through a participatory design process, we are transforming 290 Schoolyards to Playgrounds sites across the city into enhanced community spaces with play equipment, new trees and landscaping. We appreciate Speaker Quinn\u2019s continued interest in and enthusiasm for the Schoolyards to Playgrounds initiative.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Earth Day of 2007, Mayor Bloomberg unveiled PlaNYC, a far-reaching plan to fight global warming and create a more livable city by creating more open spaces and ensuring that all New Yorkers live within a 10 minute walk of a park. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe are excited that PS 41 was chosen as part of this initiative,\u201d said P.S. 41 Principal Kelly Shannon. \u201cAfter working closely with the Trust for Public Land, the Parks Department and the Department of Education, we are convinced that this renovation will both preserve the integrity of our schoolyard in servicing the many children who attend this neighborhood school and at the same time will benefit our Greenwich Village neighbors and fellow New Yorkers.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSt. Vincent\u2019s is very glad that the students of PS 41 will be getting a new playground that will also be available to other children in the neighborhood during non-school hours. Physical activity and fresh air are great ways to promote better health amongst young children,\u201d said Henry Amoroso, President and CEO of Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Centers. \u201cWe look forward to working with PS 41 to ensure the safety and health of the children as they move this important project forward.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cOur block members are pleased that this gift to the neighborhood, the PS 41 play yard renovation, can go ahead despite these troubled times,\u201d said Cynthia Crane, Chair Mulry Angle\/W. 11th Street Block Association. \u201cWe understand that there will be some disruption, but we are ready to live with it so that these kids can get outside for a spot of fresh air and play time and then, at dismissal, go home in safety.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Initiative will open school grounds and increase access to public space in the West Village<\/p>\n
Greenwich Village \u2013 Speaker Christine C. Quinn, together with Community Board 2 Chair Brad Hoylman, Public School 41 Principal Kelly Shannon, Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe and other community leaders, celebrated the announcement of new park space in Greenwich Village. As part of the Mayor\u2019s PlaNYC Schoolyards to Playgrounds initiative, the P.S.<\/p>\n
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